First National Bank of South Africa is moving dot.com loyalty programme eBucks to the physical world with the launch of a debit card that will enable members to earn and redeem the artificial currency in high street shops.
Bricks and mortar retailers participating in the eBucks card programme include CNA, Look & Listen, Arthur Kaplan Jewellers, Spec-Savers and Golfers Club. Up to now, the 700,000 eBucks members have only been able to spend their points online.
Lezanne Human, CEO of eBucks says: "Even though South Africa is seeing an ever-growing market of people comfortable with virtual activity, there is still a strong desire for that which we can feel, see and touch."
She says the new card programme is designed to encourage further take-up by making the entire experience more tangible.
To date, the cash equivalent value of eBucks in circulation is R290 million, of which R90 million has been spent in the four years since launch.
Says Human: "A rewards programme is only a success when it is utilised and valued by its members. We have designed the programme to encourage this as much as possible through benefits such as non-expiry, the ability to save or top-up and now an added spending channel."